Antitrust: Commission carries out
inspections in the international freight forwarding sector

The European Commission can confirm that on 10th
October 2007 Commission officials carried out unannounced inspections at the
premises of various providers of international freight forwarding services.
Freight forwarding is the organisation of transportation of items along with
related activities such as customs clearance, warehousing and ground services.
The Commission has reason to believe that the companies concerned may have
violated EC Treaty rules that outlaw restrictive business practices (Article
81).

The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the
relevant national competition authorities.

Surprise inspections are a preliminary step in investigations into suspected
cartels. The fact that the European Commission carries out such inspections does
not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour; nor does
it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The European Commission
respects the rights of defence, in particular the right of companies to be heard
in antitrust proceedings.

There is no strict deadline to complete cartel inquiries. Their duration
depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the
extent to which the undertakings concerned co-operate and the exercise of the
rights of defence.